Visited 17th June 2012.
The sun was shining and the bike had not been out for a run for a while so it seemed like an ideal thing to do. I checked Google Earth and picked on Godalming as a suitable place to go visit. I took a nice leisurely ride out avoiding any motorways and ended up in the picturesque town of Godalming, where, as it was Sunday I managed to park right outside the pub. I went in and found a table and then headed to the bar where I ordered a burger and a pint of Pepsi. The pub was very festive with the Jubilee bunting pairing up well with the mainly blue decor. I started playing a game on my phone while I waited for my food and it was only when I had finished my drink that I started to wonder why the food was taking so long to arrive. Basically it had been cooked and then left on the side in the kitchen. By now it was over an hour since I had ordered and although I was hungry I was also feeling a little surly and asked the manager for my money back. He apologized and offered to go and have another burger cooked for me but I generally felt that I was being treated as a nuisance so I insisted on having my money back. It was given back to me without any fuss but the incident marred the day... and I was still hungry. I jumped back on the bike and headed for home. The trip home, as it turned out, was a fairly unpleasant experience too as my hay fever kicked in and I ended up sneezing continuously for the whole ride home. Never a nice thing when you are wearing a crash helmet! All in all it wasn't really the best day ever.
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Visited 7th June 2012.
It
started raining again during the drive and by the time I reached Leighton Buzzard and parked it was extremely heavy. I parked and sat in the car for a while waiting for the rain to lessen in its intensity. I had sat there for several minutes before the rain lessened enough for me to make a dash for the pub. Inside it was dark and narrow, it was also pretty busy. I managed to find a table and then headed for the nice looking bar where I ordered a sticky toffee pudding with custard. Sadly it took a little while to arrive and I ended up rushing the eating of it as I had to dash back to the car as my parking ticket time was running out. Other than that I quite liked the place. And then it was back to the car for the trip home (during which, surprisingly, it rained). Not a bad day out, just a little damp!
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Visited 7th June 2012.
It was still raining as I walked from my parking spot, passed the college, round the corner and across the road to 'The Gary Cooper'. It's a large, modern building which was moderately busy. I ordered a pint of Pepsi and went and sat down next to a large window while I dried off. Although the pub was light and airy it felt a little lacking in atmosphere although being so close the a college I imagine it could get quite lively. I didn't stay long as it had stopped raining and I was almost dry so I took the opportunity to high tail it back to the car. I had one more pub to visit which was about eight miles away, time to go!
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Visited 7th June 2012.
I made it to 'The White House' before the rain started and that was including a quick stop off at Specsavers to get my glasses tightened. I entered through the side entrance and found myself in a fairly dark and gloomy and rather tired looking building. I order a Buffalo Trace and Pepsi and sat for a while wondering if I would make it back to the car before it started raining again. I had no coat but I did have my trust umbrella with me so I wasn't to worried. Before I left I wandered up to the far end of the building and it underwent a transformation. It was like being in a completely different pub, lighter, warmer, there was a second bar and an upstairs library. I wish I had found this end first! On the downside though, it was raining very heavily at this end of the building. I went back to the side entrance and sadly it was raining heavily there too. I didn't have time to wait so I went outside and took some photos in the rain, that was tricky as there was a wind getting up and I was fighting with the umbrella at the same time. I managed to get the photos (sort of) but the umbrella did not survive and ended up in a bin as I started what turned out to be a very soggy walk back to the car...
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Visited 7th June 2012.
It stopped raining while I drove to Luton but started again as I parked the car and continued while I walked to pub. Luckily I had my trusty umbrella with me so didn't get to wet. Inside it was small and busy and I sat and drank an Orange and Passion fruit J2O while quietly waiting for my trouser bottoms to steam dry. After drying out I nipped outside and took some photos, never easy when I'm on my own and then set off looking for 'The White House' before it started raining again.
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Visited 7th June 2012.
I took a wander in the rain down the road to where 'The Cross Keys' used to be. When I arrived there were several workmen moving things out of the pub and several more moving things in. The sign over the door was gone and the only indication that there used to be a 'spoons here was the relocation sign in the window. Missed it by a week! Now I have a dilemma, I have visited the pub, I even set foot inside the pub but by one week it wasn't a Wetherspoon pub. I've written about it but not had a drink there, it's on my list of pubs to visit but can I add it to my total count? Sadly I think not as if I do I'm breaking one of my own self-imposed rules, the one where I have to have something to eat or drink in each one I visit. So it's back to the car and on to the next one...
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Visited 7th June 2012.
Like so many people I have taken the three days between the Jubilee bank holiday and the weekend as holiday. Sadly Mrs S. hasn't so I'm on my own and bored. So, I can stay at home and do some DIY or hit the road and visit a few pubs. Hmm, if I'm quick I can be at the first pub in time for breakfast. I set off for St Albans intending to eat at 'The Cross Keys' but having parked and walked in to town the first 'spoons I came to was the 'Waterend Barn'. Decision made, breakfast was calling. Inside it was... barn like and very warm. The fires were on and had collected quite a fan club but it was a little to warm for me so I headed in to a different, cooler but still barn like room where I sat and ate a large breakfast and drank a large latte. I started chatting to the barmaid who gave me directions to 'The Cross Keys' but also told me that it had closed last week and would not be reopening. Now I need to check this out for myself!
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